Fisheries committee  I think at first there were some general guidelines, but actually you could charge whatever you thought you needed to meet your budget for the year.

Fisheries committee  Over the last number of years we've always gotten along pretty well with Gary and all the crowd that comes around. Anything we've needed...even last year one time we didn't mount a jib crane and then we decided we needed one, and within two weeks it was on the wharf. Everything seems to be working pretty well.

Fisheries committee  In our area, which is not a big area--it's probably one of the smaller bays--there are not that many harbours. We have a harbour in O'Donnells here and there were a good many dollars spent on it a couple of years ago--I think it was $1.2 million. They put some armour stone and that out, but it's only safe to the point where you can tie on one boat.

Fisheries committee  I believe that in order to keep anything you've got to have the individual local harbour authorities, as Don was saying, to look after the necessary things. Last year some fenders went off the wharf and went down, and some needed to be put on that weren't there before, so we all went down and put them on at no cost.

Fisheries committee  Well, it would be making a recommendation, because most of the stuff is probably done, evolved, but make recommendations too. I'm sure if recommendations come from a regional board that we're going to spend money here, even though every harbour authority wants it here, if you make your case I think it can work in any area.

Fisheries committee  I believe that in our bay regionally you have to look at...because it's not easy to get money for every place all at the one time.

Fisheries committee  So I believe, as you go around with your group, you must also look at the regions. What are the best benefits for each area at the time? Let that be done, and make the best use of the dollars. As to the best place to put a harbour...and that's not taking into consideration some landing ports.

Fisheries committee  In St. Mary's Bay, as I said in my presentation, on the whole bay, we have six harbour authorities. The reason is that most people use one or the other. Even people from the Placentia area come over within the same area and tie on. They land in Riverhead, on from Admirals Beach, and then they could end up landing anywhere.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chairman, honourable MP Fabian Manning, honourable members of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, and fellow members of the harbour authority in the district of Avalon, it is both an honour and a privilege to speak to you today on the importance of the harbour authorities to our communities.